Begin Again
by ElleryMelody
Summary: A series of oneshots, drabbles, and possible connecting story arcs concerning Alphonse Elric and how he - and those around him - deal with his returned body. (Set after the events of the Promised Day in FMAB. Rated T for mild language and possibly darker themes in later chapters).
1. Chapter 1 (04-18 23:03:27)

A series of oneshots, drabbles, and possible connecting story arcs concerning Alphonse Elric and how he - and those around him - deal with his returned body. (Set after the events of the Promised Day in FMAB. Rated T for mild language and possibly darker themes in later chapters).

(AN at the end).

**Chapter 1**

It had been years since a rain storm this big had hit Central so hard. Harsh clouds swallowed up normally blue skies for days on end. For some, this was an inconvenience: work still needed to get done, people still had places to be. But Alphonse, with no places to be nor work to get done, was more than content to be holed up in his hospital room and watch as the storm rolled by his window.

Ed didn't seem to quite understand why Al was so enthralled; he had seen storms before, after all, and he hadn't lost his sight or hearing when he was in the armor so this shouldn't be that big of a deal.

He couldn't be farther from the truth, however.

The windows, at Al's request, had been left slightly ajar. A fine mist made its way through the room. It settled on the boy's skin, his hair, his face, and left goosebumps behind. Petrichor wafted in too, heightened by Al's sharp sense of smell - a scent he had almost forgotten existed. Thunder clapped loud enough at times to shake his whole body and, unlike when he could only hear the metal of his armor clatter, he could now feel the quake vibrate all the way from his toes to the top of his head.

It was rough at first - it had only been about a week since the Promised Day, and Al's senses were easily overloaded.

Flashes of lightning sometimes burned his retinas, thunder rolls sometimes threatened to burst his eardrums, splashes of rain against his skin threatened to leave him cold and shivering forever.

But honestly?

He wouldn't give it up for anything.

No matter how cold he got, how loud or how bright or how painful everything became, Al could be seen beaming through it all.

He was overwhelmed, yes.

But his excitment by the mere fact that he could be overwhelmed again outshone any other feelings.

Ed called him crazy, but as he sat in the corner of Al's room, witnessing his brother revel in each and every moment of these otherwise ordinary storms, it reminded him of just how much Al had lost.

Al's laughs after a particularly strong drop splashed through the window and onto his arm, his hands over his ears after particularly loud thunder waves, his exclamations after every flash of lightning...Al seemed alive again, truly and fully, and Ed would never hesitate to give everything he had if it meant his brother would be able to smile like that for the rest of his life.

**AN**: Hey guys! Yikes, sorry it's been so long since my last story... I assure you I haven't stopped writing, nor do I plan to any time soon~

University is absolutely fantastic, even better than I thought it might be! But, it's been extremely busy and crazy, too. I don't have a lot of time to write, but I'll upload whenever I can!

Begin Again is going to be a series of oneshots as the summary states, and I have a few chapter ideas lined up already. But, with that being said, I'd love to hear any ideas or prompts you guys have on what to write next! Some chapters will be fluffy, some will be a little darker, and all of them will be mostly centered on Alphonse and those around him. Hit me up with any of your ideas, and I would love to try and write them out!

Anyway, sorry for the long note. Thanks for reading, and I hope to update again soon!


	2. Chapter 2

(AN at the end)

**Chapter 2**: _In Which Edward Does What He Wants_

When one is used to going at top speed 24/7 with hardly any downtime, one often daydreams about what they would do if they had any time to themselves. Edward, if you asked him, would say that he'd spend most of his time reading. Perhaps alchemy books, perhaps scholars' research journals, maybe even a book on just plain chemistry if he had nothing else.

But, after spending nearly five years constantly on the move, and then spending weeks on end with absolutely nothing to do, Edward found he had almost run out of things to entertain himself with.

He focused hard on his physical therapy, practicing his exercises multiple times a day and even reading up on new ones, if he found the right books. But once he had reached a certain point, everything was just... uninteresting.

After a while, he stopped going to the scheduled physical therapy sessions. He knew more about it than his trainer seemed to, and he knew his body's limits much better. Besides, he had been doing physical therapy for almost half of his life - if he didn't know a thing or two by now, who even was he? The trainer seemed to think it would take him half a year to get to a healthy place - Edward believed he could get there in half that, easy.

Technically, he had been released from enforced bedrest over two weeks ago, so he could go out and walk around if he wanted to, but there was a little something still holding him back:

Al wasn't doing well.

He was still sleeping most days away. The doctors said that he might be trying to catch up from what all he lost, though Ed hoped that Al's body wasn't seriously intending to make up for almost five years of lost sleep.

He was also weak - his body wasn't taking well to the medications or IVs or food they gave him. He was often coughing or wheezing, like his body forgot how to breathe. Sometimes he just flat out passed out in the middle of his sentence. He was a mess, if Edward was being frank, so it was probably best that he sleep as much as he can until his body remembered how to function properly again.

A sleeping Al meant no tittilating conversation, though. So, not only had Edward run out of things to read, but he didn't have anyone to talk to.

Part of him felt guilty; afterall, Al had to sit and wait alone for years while he slept the nights away. If this was really how lonely he had felt...?

So. Nothing to do. He couldn't leave because he didn't want to be gone when Al woke up, but he didn't want to be there when Al was sleeping because he had exhausted every single thing he could think of to do.

The only thing he hadn't quite gotten tired of yet was watching his brother. He honestly didn't think he would ever grow tired of seeing him in flesh and bones again (though currently more bones than flesh). As Al slept, Ed started to commit his face to memory once more. He hoped that his cheeks might fill in soon, and he really hoped that those awful bags under his eyes would disappear, but for the most part it was the same face Edward remembered - though perhaps a more haunted version.

What really got to him, though, were Al's eyes. They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul. Now, Ed could see Al's soul - feel the actual presence of his soul - for years without any of that eye-window shmuck, but he had forgotten just how much expression they could show. When Al was awake, he and Ed would talk on end about anything that came to mind, and Ed realized that he didn't have to look at Al's body language anymore to know what he was feeling. He could see it, plain and simple through those golden eyes.

He could see happiness, mostly. Sheer, utter happiness. Small things would make them light up, even bigger things might make them water. But somewhere, deep down, Edward could see pain in the shadows.

The older boy knew that Al had been through so much - too much - but even now he was trying to brush his problems away like they were nothing and instead focus his own efforts on carrying someone else's. The issue with that was that his problems weren't actually gone - they were still there weighing him down, but Al was trying to carry that burden on his own, and he would stop at nothing to offer to help you carry yours.

And that? That was too much.

Al had always been one to put others before himself, so this honestly shouldn't have been that surprising. But Ed could see that pain now. He hated himself for not seeing it as clearly before, but it shone through brighter than day now, with the help of those soul-windows.

Al was dragging himself through the dirt in order to bring others up.

And it needed to stop.

To be fair, the day had started out simply: Al had woken up after nearly 15 hours of rest. He was slightly disoriented as usual, but overall cheerful and bubbly. He smiled at his nurses while they checked him over and made light small talk with whomever was closest.

Ed watched from the sidelines as he was now accustomed to doing, leaning back against the wall with his arms folded as he, too, smiled on, joining into the conversations whenever Al dragged him in.

As the nurses finished their checks, the boys were left to themselves. Easily, seamlessly, they started to talk.

Al asked what all Ed had been up to since they last spoke. Ed, of course, pretended that he had not in fact been idly sitting in Al's room, waiting for him to wake up. Instead, he declared that he had been walking around, getting some fresh air, reading.

If Al was skeptical, he didn't dwell on the matter. Ed changed the subject easily, asking how he had slept, asking him about his dreams: something he hadn't been able to do for nearly half a decade.

The boy went on to describe some fantastical tale of penguins and umbrellas, though he was slightly disappointed that he couldn't remember more.

Time passed and their conversation drifted smoothly from topic to topic.

Then lunch came.

And went.

An hour passed.

A nurse came in to check on Al's IV like usual (he could eat, but it was hardly anything Ed could call 'food' yet), but she sent a glance at him that held weight.

Al shook her off casually, taking the offered newspaper with a smile, but he had noticed that Ed had seen the exchange, and the room grew tense.

Ed wanted to smirk, but he was hardly in a smirking mood. Al was a terrible liar.

"So, what are your plans for the rest of today?"

Alphonse shrugged, not taking his eyes from the paper. "Dunno. Probably just sit and read." He turned the page carefully, "What about you?"

The older brother shrugged too, leaning back in his chair and sticking his hands into his pockets as he stared warily at his companion. "Dunno."

They sat in silence for a moment.

"Don't you have physical therapy at three?"

A small sigh. "No, I'm not going today."

A questioning eyebrow. "Why not?"

Al's eyes shifted up, meeting Ed's hard stare with his own. "Because I'm not."

Edward felt a flare heat up his chest, his fists clenching and unclenching in the pockets of his trousers. "Why? Are you feeling sick?"

The younger brother averted his gaze. "No, I feel fine."

"Are you too tired?"

"No."

"Too sore?"

"No, not really."

"Too hungry?"

"We just ate."

"Too stupid, then."

Alphonse scoffed, his eyes flickering up again and meeting Ed's with a hard glare - one Edward hadn't seen in nearly half a decade. "And just what is that supposed to mean?"

Edward could feel his teeth grinding together, he could feel his temper bubbling to the surface. "You're not going to get better if you don't go to physical therapy, Alphonse. Your body is struggling enough as it is - you're never going to be able to walk or run or, hell, even function again without working on it."

The teen let out a heavy breath, bringing his hand from his pocket to rub his temples as the beginnings of a headache began to form. "You're smart, Al. You know that. And I know you're not stupid enough to think that this won't be worth it. So," his voice softened as he leaned forward, confusion and earnestness evident on his face, "What's going on? Why don't you want to go?"

Something flickered across the younger boy's features - confliction maybe? Discomfort? Hesitation? He bit his lip gently as he seemed to debate what to say before finally settling on a soft: "Why don't _you_?"

The room grew quiet, a tenseness stretching between its two occupants and making the air heavy.

"...Huh?"

Alphonse sighed almost defeatedly as he slumped back into his pillows. "Nevermind."

"No, you can't just say something like that without explaining it, Al," Ed snapped. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about you, idiot," Alphonse snapped back, his voice cracking slightly under the force of his words.

Edward blinked, taken back for a minute. "Hey, who are you calling an idiot, idiot?"

"Damn it, Ed, I'm being serious! You aren't going to therapy either--don't give me that look, I know your schedule. You haven't gone in the past week and a half, and I know you're not going when I'm asleep: I've asked the nurses and they say you've been off by yourself, pushing yourself past your physical limit like you always do. You're not stupid either, Brother. What are you thinking? You have to take care of yourself so you can get back to Winry and Granny and--"

An eruption of coughs exploded from the slight figure, racking his shoulders and shuddering his whole body as he crumpled forward. Edward was up and by his side in an instant, hovering worriedly as he rubbed soothing circles onto his brother's back.

The coughs soon calmed like the sky after a storm - no longer cloudy or dark, but still grey and murky. The boy laid back once more, left breathless and wheezing on his bed.

"...You okay?"

Alphonse nodded gingerly, his chest heaving with lightly rattling breaths.

Edward looked around the room desperately, searching for something to help. "...Do you need water or anything?"

A shake of the head.

Alphonse was hardly done with his lecture - Edward recognized that look on his face - so he waited patiently, his hand gripping his younger brother's tightly.

"...You need to get better, Ed," Al finally stated after some length, his grip tightening on his brother's hold.

"So do you, Al," Ed laughed wearily. "Besides, you've got a lot more to work on than I do. And remember, I've gone through physical therapy a lot, so I know what I'm doing. Honestly, the therapist here has no idea how to actually--"

"You're not above him, Brother."

Ed startled. "What?"

"You're not above the therapist. Just because you've gone through it before--"

"Hey now--"

"--Doesn't mean you can just completely ignore him! You're hurt and he's a doctor and--"

"--He's a therapist, Al, not a doctor."

"--we are _so close to going home_...This is what we've been waiting for for _years_, Ed. Don't you want to get better?"

Ed huffed. "Of course I do, Al. And I am. But I'm doing it at my own pace, without some dude who's only read about physical therapy in a book looming over my shoulder or slowing me down."

"You're going to overexert yourself, Brother--"

"I think I know more about Phyeical Therapy than you do, Al."

He regretted his words the moment they left his tongue. They hit Alphonse like a slap across the face, tearing past his mask and revealing all the pain and exhaustion hidden inside.

True, Edward had gone through many more rounds of physical therapy than Alphonse had, but Al had so much more to recover from than Ed ever did, and he was having his fair share of physical therapy experiences now that he had a physical body. Plus, Ed could never forget just how much Al used to push himself to learn everything he could about how to help his brother while he recovered.

The kid had read every book, he had lesson after lesson from Granny and Winry on how it worked and what to do to help or what to look for. He was always there for Ed, through each and every step of the way. In all honesty, he may not have gone through it as many times as Ed had, but he probably knew way more about physical therapy than Edward ever would.

"...Al, I--"

"It's alright," he stated with a half-hearted smirk, "I know you didn't mean it. All I'm trying to say is that muscle atrophy isn't just something you can rush into being fixed - just like you can't feed a three course meal to a person whose been starving for years."

Ed winced at the unintentional reference, and his reaction did not go unnoticed.

"What I mean is," Alphonse continued softly, his face darkening slightly as he pulled his blanket closer to him in an attempt to hide his wiry-thin frame, "You're going to overdo it, and you'll only end up making yourself worse. If you want to get out of here as fast as possible, you need to slow it down. I know it sounds ironic and backwards, but this isn't getting used to automail, Brother: this is re-growing muscles."

The older teen heaved a sigh, leaning back into his chair as a flicker of recognition crossed his mind.

"...So, you weren't going because I wasn't going?"

Alphonse nodded with a sly smile. "As you said, I'd be an idiot not to go. And so would you."

Laughter bubbled up to the surface, slipping through Ed's throat and turning into a soft chuckle. Of course he did this all for Ed. Why would he expect anything less? "I suppose you're right."

"You don't want to be an idiot, do you?"

"Nah, not particularly."

"Does that mean you'll continue your sessions?"

The younger brother's face was hopeful, his eyes big and pleading.

Edward grinned. God, he would do anything to keep this kid happy, huh?

"Only if you do."

Alphonse's face broke into a cheekish grin of his own. "It's a deal. Though, let's start on that tomorrow."

"...But you still have time to go to yours today."

A slight wince. "Well, yeah, but I uh...I actually am a little too sore from my last session to do much of anything but sit around today."

"So that part you said you weren't sore--"

"Ah, you see: I said that I was 'not really' sore, not that I wasn't sore at all."

"Tricky," Ed sighed, shaking his head slightly as he held up his hands in defeat. "Fine, you win this time. What are you going to do with your free afternoon, then?"

"I was actually thinking I'd like to spend it with you," Al replied. "I'm not really tired yet, and this newspaper is kinda boring. You only have to stay if you want to, though - you've probably got other stuff to do besides sit in a hospital room all day…"

"Not at all," Ed interjected, scootching his chair closer to Al's cot and leaning over to rest his elbows on the mattress. "I literally have nothing better to do. And as it turns out, out of everything I could be doing, there's nothing at all I want to do more than stay here with you."

**AN: **Hey guys! I already had the majority of this chapter written, and I was excited enough about it that I decided to add the finishing touches and upload it tonight!

That being said, the other chapters probably won't come in such quick succession. I'll try to crank them out as quickly as I can, but it's almost the end of the school year so things are about to get pretty busy.

Again, please let me kniw if there are any Al centric prompts or ideas you would like to read in the future! I still have some ideas I want to flesh out so I'll probably do those first, but please feel free to PM me anything you'd like and I'll try to make it work.

Have a wonderful evening my lovelies, and hopefully I'll be back soon with a new installment :)


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

The lieutenant sighed softly, packing the remainder of her few possessions into her bag. If she was being completely honest with herself, she hadn't much minded being in the hospital for as long as she had. It had been (in a twisted sort of way) a sort of reprieve. It was a relaxing vacation compared to the mess of events that had been happening over the past few months. To be quite frank: she was glad it had happened.

It also gave the Colonel a reason to rest, though he hardly gave himself the time. He was teaching himself about Ishval while his eyesight was gone and, though it had only been five days since he got it back, was currently filing his release papers so he could get back to work.

Riza snapped her case shut with a huff. _Silly man_.

She also couldn't say she hadn't enjoyed spending her recovery time with the Colonel. Even though they were more or less physically fit to leave, she almost wanted the doctors to force them to stay a little longer.

She shook the selfish thoughts from her head, giving the room one last sweep to be sure she had gotten everything before grabbing her bag and heading down the hall.

Technically, she had been released a couple of days ago. But, she hadn't left the Colonel's side ever before, so why should she now? Without telling the Colonel (and insisting that the doctors didn't either), she managed to stay the extra time. Though he would never say it, she knew the time was appreciated by Roy. He insisted he was a spitting image of health, but she could see through his facade with ease. She had known the man for the majority of her life, after all - who would she be if she didn't know him by now?

His eyesight may have been back, but he had taken a lot of damage before and even after that, and he was hardly spritely enough to heal as quickly as he used to. These things take time, time that he insisted he didn't have time for.

That didn't stop him from worrying incessantly about her, though. It was sweet, kind of him even, to worry so much about her when he himself wasn't all the way well.

A blush crept up her face, warming her cheeks. He had always been like that. It was one of the things she admired most about him.

Calming herself as best she could, Riza made her way through the halls and towards the front desk where the Colonel stood. He was hunched over the desk signing papers, leaning his weight on it in a covert enough way that only she could tell he wasn't standing fully on his own.

She huffed again (_stubborn man_), as she moved forward and set her bags down next to his.

"Ah, Lieutenant," he said, his attention shifting briefly from the page to acknowledge her, "Did you get everything you needed to?"

Riza nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Good, good…" He muttered to himself quietly, flipping through page after page with discontented grumbles. He had never been one for paperwork. "Did you sign your release forms already?"

"Yes, sir. I did them this morning while you were getting ready."

Roy smirked. "Of course. You're always on top of these things." The man let out a long breath, scratching his illegible signature onto the final line before handing the packet back to the desk assistant. She was pretty: short, chestnut hair tied back to stay out of her face, bright blue eyes, rosy pink cheeks and long, batting eyelashes. She was his type alright.

But, either he was too occupied by the papers to notice, or he was just too tired to return her obvious attempts of flirting. The lady (whose name tag read 'Sandra') smiled sweetly before giving an apologetic look and exchanging the packet with another one twice as thick.

"I'm sorry, Colonel Mustang: there are a couple more legal things to go through."

Roy moaned loudly, rubbing his hand across his face and swearing under his breath as he took the offered packet from her hands.

"Why don't you sit down, sir," the Lieutenant stated. He made no objections, so she guided the poor man to a seat nearby and he plopped into it gracelessly.

"Seriously," he muttered, flipping through the packet with disinterest, "these things are terrible - you have to have a background in law to even be able to read this garbage…"

Riza smirked knowingly before looking around the room to let him delve into it with a bit of privacy. It was your typical waiting room - white walls and dingy carpeting. It was packed full with patients, some in worse condition than others, but almost everyone here had suffered from the events of the Promised Day.

Her thoughts were left to wander for a bit as Roy continued to work on his outtake paperwork. She recalled the events of that day...the horrors, the pain, the blood, the cooperation between the military and the Elrics and the sacrifices that were made...

The Elric brothers. _I wonder how they're doing._

"I'm going to be here for a while, Lieutenant," the Colonel stated, catching Riza's eye knowingly as he pulled her from her thoughts. "If you have anything else you want to take care of before we leave, now would be a good time to do it."

"Will you be able to handle yourself if I do?"

Roy snorted, sifting through the pile of paper on his lap once more. "Well, of course I would rather have you here to do this work for me, but if you'd _rather_ be somewhere else-"

"I'll be back in a bit, sir," Riza stated, turning on her heel and walking out of the room, leaving a chuckling Colonel behind her.

~oOo~

It didn't take long for her to find the room.

She double checked the room's name tag just to be sure (it read "Elric," so it must be at least one of the boys) before knocking lightly. A soft "Come in" could be heard from inside, so she opened the door slightly and made her way in.

In the middle of the room, lain in bed and hooked up to dozens of machines and IV's was Alphonse Elric. At least, she believed it was - his hair was long and golden like Edward's, and his eyes were the same golden color. But his cheeks were sunken in, his hair was lanky, and his face was softer than Riza had ever seen Edward's face being.

It had to be Alphonse.

She had seen him briefly on the Promised Day right after he had gotten his body back, but she hadn't really had a conversation with the boys since everything had happened. They had all been ushered their separate ways. She heard Alphonse's condition had caused quite a scare in his first couple weeks here, but hadn't heard much else since.

Edward wasn't in the room, though a chair was scooted close to Alphonse's bed, and she could only imagine he had hardly left it for the past few weeks.

Alphonse would have looked almost peaceful were it not for all of the IV's in his arms. A book rested neatly in his lap and the morning sun shone softly through the window blinds, lighting up his hair and eyes even more than they already were. The boy glanced up, catching Riza's fond gaze and smiling in response.

"Lieutenant Hawkeye," he exclaimed, marking his page and closing the book carefully - he was always one for formalities, and she had long since given up asking him (and his brother) to call her Riza. "It's so good it see you!"

"Hello, Alphonse," she laughed in return. "It's good to see you, too. How are you feeling?"

The light in his eyes dimmed slightly, but he was quick to recover. "I'm okay, thank you. Tired more than anything. How about you? Have you healed yet?"

Her hand rose to her neck subconsciously, skimming the bandages with her fingertips as the echo of what could have been ricocheted around her mind. Any closer to the left, the doctors had told her, and she wouldn't be here today. Riza forced a smile - she was far better than she might have been. "I'm doing well, thanks. Still healing, but the pain is gone. I was actually just discharged."

"And the Colonel?"

She sighed, shaking her head slightly with a fond expression. "He's doing just fine - he's also being released today. Though, he's pushing himself more than is probably wise. He can't stay awake from his work for very long, it drives him insane."

Al laughed softly. "Yeah, that sounds about right. I'm really glad to hear you guys are doing better though."

Exhaustion clouded over the boy's voice, but it was genuine and kind. He had obviously been worried, and surely the reassurance on their conditions had done him some good, perhaps taken a weight off his shoulder.

Good. He had enough on his plate right now.

"Thank you, we're certainly glad to be feeling better, too." She motioned to the edge of Al's bed. "May I?"

Alphonse hummed and affirmative, scooching ever so slightly to the side to make as much room as he could without falling off the side. "Please, go ahead."

She sat, taking a moment to take in the room around her. It wasn't very spacious, but it felt bigger because of the sheer amount of light coming through the window. It was just past midday, and Alphonse's room had a beautiful, unhindered view of the patients' grounds outside. Hospital patients walked through the greenery, sat in their wheelchairs and felt the breeze across their faces, convened on the benches and spoke with one-another. Central Hospital was full of suffering people, yes, but everyone there had the same sense of feeling lucky to even be alive.

The room Al was staying in, though bright and sterile, was cozy. Cards and flowers adorned nearly every available surface, and things such as books and other activities like crossword puzzles and small table top games took up the rest. Al himself had a hospital gown on, but he also had a knitted shawl draped over his shoulders - a pale green with yellow accents.

"Mrs. Hughes made it for me," Al provided quietly, noting Riza's gaze. He rubbed the material between his fingers, a tender smile on his face. "She didn't have to of course, but she and Elicia came to visit the other day and she insisted - wouldn't take no for an answer. She saw me, pulled out her needles and some yarn and said, 'You're nothing but skin and bones, you've got to be cold under those thin sheets.' She and Elicia spent the whole day with Ed and me, and she finished this right before she left."

Riza grinned, a laugh catching in her throat.. "Yes, that sounds like Gracia."

"How long have you two known each other?"

The Lieutenant leaned back, casting her mind back to years before. "I think it was not too long after the war in Ishval. I knew Hughes then, of course, and he talked non-stop about her while we were there, but I only got to meet her after we got back." She laughed lightly. "I'd forgotten, but Hughes asked her to marry him the minute he got back and she flat out refused."

Alphonse's face lit up in amusement. "Wait, really?"

"Mmhm," Riza continued, "She thought he was being stupid - they'd only gone on a couple of dates before Hughes was shipped off to Ishval. We all thought they'd been dating for months the way he talked about her." The woman looked down, a smile on her face. "Though, she said yes nearly a month later when he asked again. They had been mailing back and forth the whole time he had been gone. She once told me she knew he was the one on the first date they went on, but had to be sure those thoughts were real and she wasn't just hyping up the idea of him when he was gone."

"A match made in heaven then, huh."

Riza looked up, catching the way Al's eyes seemed to water for a moment.

"I still can't believe he's gone...They're a good family, good people. I miss him."

A nod. "Yes, they are. And I do too."

Again the two sat in silence, but this time far more comfortable than the first. It was a respectful quiet, a remembrance of what all had been lost.

Riza broke it first, desperate for some way to lighten the mood - the boy had enough to think about as it was. "How is Ed doing? Is he on the mend, too?"

Alphonse nodded, taking the topic change under his wing. "He is, though not nearly as well as he could be."

A raised eyebrow. "In what way?"

The young teen rolled his eyes, leaning back into his pillows and pulling the wrap closer as he crossed his arms - it was truly amazing how much he could manage to look like his brother. "Oh, you know, just the usual: running himself into the ground again because he thinks it'll get him faster results. He's just going to hurt himself more." The boy shook his head fondly, giving a huff that was more entertained than disappointed, "He's a lost cause - he'll never change."

"Even now?" Riza smirked. "You'd think after all that's happened, he'd at least have settled down some. Though, I can hardly say I'm surprised." Her voice lowered slightly, finally asking the question that had been on her mind since she got here: "How is he really? Now that he doesn't have his Alchemy, I mean. It was such an integral part of him, I don't think I can even begin to imagine him without it-"

"No, neither can I," Al responded, his voice equally quiet - weighed down like it was a heavy burden to carry, "and I've actually seen him."

The woman's face fell at Al's response. "That bad, huh?"

Alphonse shrugged, suddenly very interested in the woven pattern of one of the blankets on his lap. He ran his hand across the strands with the most gentle of touches, and - despite any attempt made otherwise - Riza could see his hands shaking. "He's taking it really well, actually. But...I don't know. Brother is different, but the same, if that makes sense? He's himself, but he's...not? I don't know." The boy let out a disgruntled huff, obviously disappointed the words would not come easily to him. "Ed has always been an alchemist - I can't remember a time when he wasn't. He's always been amazing, gifted even, since we were kids."

"You still are kids," the Lieutenant interjected, giving a sly smirk as Al gave a small snort.

"Well, yeah, technically I suppose. Though it hardly feels like it anymore."

Riza's smile faltered slightly. He was right, he and his brother had hardly been allowed to be children since they were barely in their double digits. They had gone through so much...too much. They had been through things kids should never have to deal with, yet somehow they handled it with far more grace than some three times their age could have.

"He's been amazing since we were really little," he addended. His hands fidgeted more forcefully, more quickly, "It's always been a part of him - it's a part of his identity, really. He's always held that part of himself like a badge of honor, and-"

A sharp intake of breath.

"...What if he doesn't like who he is without it? What if he hates the life he's going to lead now that it's gone? He wanted to become the greatest alchemist there ever was one day, how can he do that now? He won't be able to live out his dream, the life that he wanted so badly to live...what does he have to look forward to now that all of that is gone-" Alphonse's chest was rising too quickly, falling too quickly. He was working himself up too much, if he didn't stop hyperventilating he was going to pass out.

Riza reached out a hand, gentle yet grounding as it landed on Al's arm, the other subconsciously brushing a piece of long hair away from his face and tucking it behind his ear. "Alphonse, you need to calm down-"

"I did this," he muttered between gasps, the horror and sadness and absolute disgust he felt twisting their way across his face. "He gave that all up for me - if he hadn't wasted it on me, he could still become the greatest alchemist alive, he could still live the life he wanted to, he could still be _happy_," the boy's voice broke, waves of tears wracking his body, "and _I'm the reason he can't be anymore-_"

She pulled him close without a moment's hesitation, bringing him crashing into her as she wrapped her arms around him like a vice. She wasn't sure what to say except for soft reassurances, quiet murmurs of affection and care. Nothing could prepare her for the way she thought of these boys, the way she cared for them. She wasn't prepared for the first moment she met them, the first moment she felt her heart break and be pieced back together by their laughs and their bravery. She loved them both, dearly. They were wonderful kids, and they deserved none of this. So, she did the only thing she could think of to help: she hugged Alphonse close, and just held him as he let it all out.

Muffled sobs filled the room as Alphonse latched onto the sharpshooter like his life depended on it. Riza could feel the shoulder of her shirt begin to grow wet against her skin, but she easily let the thought slide by as more and more thoughts took its place.

_How long had he been keeping this inside? Didn't he and his brother know what it would cost to bring him back? Surely he knew that none of this was his doing, that he wasn't at fault…_

What felt like an eternity passed as the two sat wrapped up in eachother. Her hand brushed slowly through his hair, rubbed his back, pulled him ever closer as more sobs shook his shoulders. With as much as his muscles had atrophied, Riza was surprised by just how tightly he was able to keep hold on the back of her shirt. Fingers shaking, he squeezed the fabric in his fists even tighter, pulling her as close as he physically could be without him being directly on her lap.

It was in times like these, times of rare displays of weakness and grief, that Riza was forced to remember that these were just children. The child holding on to her was just barely a teenager - the biggest things he should have to be worried about are puberty, relationships, schoolwork. Instead, he was sitting in a hospital cot, riddled in pain as his body tried to regrow nearly half a decade of lost muscle, his mind reeling as he tried to comprehend the fact that his brother gave up the biggest thing he could think of in order to save him.

That is far more than anyone, especially a child, should have to deal with. It was obvious this had been weighing on Alphonse for some time now. With no one around who could truly understand how great a sacrifice this was, no one who realized just how scared and hurt Alphonse was to see his brother so lost and different...it wasn't hard to understand how lost and alone he felt. Riza would be damned if she didn't offer an ear and a shoulder to lean on. It was the least she could do, especially after everything the brothers had done for them.

"What if he hates me?"

The words were so quiet, so muffled and mixed into the muddled sounds of crying and sniffling that she almost didn't hear them. But, when those muffled sounds finally translated themselves into understandable words in her mind, the Lieutenant's heart broke.

Riza pulled back slowly, moving as far away as the child's grip on her would allow before peering down and wiping some of the wetness from the huddled figure's face. "Alphonse, look at me."

The boy's hesitated for a moment before cautiously meeting her gaze, staggered hiccups and salty tears continuing to shudder through his skeletal form.

"Alphonse, your brother does not hate you. Nor does he even have the capacity to," Al curled into himself a little once more, but Riza pulled him back up, forcing him to keep his eyes on her. "Edward knew what he had to do, and he did it willingly and completely of his own volition. If he didn't want to, he could have left without giving anything up. Your body and soul would stay at the gate, and he would still have his Alchemy. But if he did, you would be gone, Alphonse. All of this, everything the two of you have worked towards for the past four and a half years would have been for nothing. And everyone, _everyone_ knows just how uninterested Edward is in a life without you. If he had to, he would give up everything he had to know that you were safe and alive and whole again. You know that, don't you?"

A sniffling nod. "B-but he wo-won't be happy-"

"He's ecstatic that you're back, Alphonse. He wouldn't have it any other way."

"B-but I'm not even myself anymore! I-I-I'm a husk of who I once was, I may nev-never get back to w-who I used to be-"

"Then you'll get through it together." Riza leaned forward again, cupping Al's face in her hands and placing her forehead against his. His skin was soft, smooth. He smelled like dew and the morning air when the sun rises just right. Without Ed's sacrifice, Riza would never know those things.

"He wants you here, Alphonse, with him. He needs you by his side far more than he ever needed his Alchemy. You are his power now, you are the future he has to look forward to. He gets to see you grow older with him, gets to see you become what you want to be and to live the life you want to lead. And that life? That's the life I'm sure he wants too, more than anything. Besides," she pulled back, wiping another stray tear from his cheek before ruffling his hair fondly, "you and I both know Ed will find a way to become the best alchemist in the world anyway, even without his Alchemy."

Al laughed wetly, scrubbing his face with the back of his hand. "Yeah, rules don't really apply to him, do they?"

"Not in the slightest."

They chuckled for a moment as Alphonse regained control of his breathing once more. His face was flushed, his eyes were pink and puffy, but God did he look alive. And all that mattered.

"You know you'll get better, don't you?"

A nod. "Yeah. Eventually. In all honesty, it's hard to see it sometimes, but I know I will." He grinned, his eyes flashing in a way they hadn't only moments before: there was hope behind the golden flecks. "I may not be who I want to be right now, but I will be someday soon.I know I'll get there eventually, I just need to keep moving, right?"

Riza flashed a smile of her own, her heart warming up the inside of her chest. "Right.'

The two talked for a while longer, mostly lighthearted things like the weather or what they had been reading lately. Alphonse seemed more animated than he had when she first came in. The relief he felt for just getting his worries out into the open was almost palpable in the air around them as Al filled the space with stories of the gossip he had heard from the nurses, or the trip he took outside in his wheelchair the other day: he was more like himself with every word.

"Al, I'm back! I'm so sorry that took so long, the lines were seriously insane. I guess everyone else in this damn place also wanted-oh, hey Lieutenant."

The woman turned, facing the figure who stood in the doorway as Alphonse said some soft assurances.

Edward stood taller than Riza remembered, his signature braid replaced by a ponytail at the back of his head. Purple bags hung softly underneath his eyes, a testament to his sleepless nights and days spent watching over his brother. A cup of coffee steamed slowly in his hand, a sandwich resting neatly in the other.

He moved into the room, setting his cup and meal on the side table closest to his chair. The older brother seated himself in the said seat and nodded to the lack of a wristband on Riza's exposed skin. "You finally got discharged, then?"

She nodded, standing up and adjusting her pants so they wouldn't become creased. "Yes. The Colonel is filling out the remaining paperwork as we speak, so I figured I should come and say hi before we left. Though," Riza muttered, looking at the clock in the room, "I suppose I should be getting back - I don't want to keep him waiting."

"Yeah, that sounds about right. I bet he's dying to get out of here."

"I know I am," Alphonse muttered, crossing his arms lightly as he leaned back into his pillows.

"You'll get your turn, Al," Ed assured, ruffling the younger boy's hair, "It won't be too long now."

The younger boy nodded, that spark in his eyes gleaming bright.

The way Edward looked at his brother, the way his gaze softened, the way the corners of his mouth curled up subconsciously, the way his whole body seemed to relax - there wasn't a doubt in Riza's mind that what she had said had been true:

Edward Elric didn't have a single regret for his actions. Alphonse would always be more important to him than his alchemy. Even if he never said it aloud, you could see it plain as day. He was hardly hiding it.

"I'd best be going," the Lieutenant stated, moving her way towards the door. "It was wonderful to see you both on the mend."

Alphonse smiled sweetly. "Thank you Lieutenant, it was great to see you too. Thanks for the company, and for...listening."

The older boy raised a questioning eyebrow, but didn't ask for clarification.

"You're welcome, Al. If you ever need a listening ear again, you know where to find me."

"See you, Lieutenant. Say hi to Mustang for us," Ed called out as Riza walked out the door.

She cast a smirk over her shoulder. "Of course. Have a good day, boys. Keep us updated - we're just a phone call away."

"We will!"

Riza laughed fondly to herself as she made her way down the hallway. They really were sweet boys. They'd bounce back in no time - they had each other, after all. With the two of them side-by-side, there was nothing they couldn't accomplish.

It didn't take long for her to find her way back to the main lobby, and it took her even less time to spot the raven-haired Colonel in the spot that she'd left him.

He looked up at her sudden presence, a knowing smirk on his lips. "Did you finish everything you needed to?"

She nodded.

"How are they doing?"

"They're doing well," she replied, "Alphonse has a long way to go still, but they're both still as spunky as ever. They said to say hi."

He chuckled softly in return, grunting under his breath as he pulled himself to his feet. "I expected nothing less." Roy let out a sigh, stretching carefully as he turned to his companion. "Finally finished my damned paperwork. You ready to head out?"

The woman looked around, committing the room to memory: the broken people, the busy bustling, the knitted together community - everyone banded together by a shared disaster.

"Yes, Sir."

**AN: Heya folks! Sorry it's been a little bit, this chapter just kept getting longer and longer...oops. Again, please let me know if you have any prompt ideas for me! I've got a couple planned still, and I've got another chapter mostly written. **

**Would any of you be interested in a chapter focused on Alphonse's physical therapy? I have a chapter I could post in the meantime, but chronologically the physical therapy chapter should be the next one. Though, I don't really need to keep it in chronological order since these are mostly supposed to be a lot of one shots anyway. Please let me know what you guys would prefer, either by PM or by commenting below. **

**Thanks for reading! I'll post again soon~**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

He had had enough.

He was through with the itchiness, the extra weight, the shagginess, and the way it was impossible to maintain.

Honestly, he had no idea how his brother dealt with it every day.

It was long and just got in the way of everything. No matter how many times he tried to tie it back, no matter how many styles he twisted it into, it would fall back onto his face.

He wanted this hair gone.

All of it.

The reasoning for it, though, was not only for practicality's sake. True, he had never really cared about his looks before (for a while, he didn't really have a reason to - there's only so much you can do aesthetically with armor, after all). But now?

Every time he looked in the mirror, he couldn't recognize himself. At first he had just been relieved to see flesh and bone again, but after a while it was difficult to remember what he used to look like, and even more difficult to look at his reflection.

He was a husk of who he used to be - the shadowed, withered remains of what once was.

Alphonse Elric was not the image of the boy he remembered, and he was desperate for something to grasp at - some sort of sign that the old him was still in there, that they hadn't accidentally brought back the wrong body.

When the boy voiced his concerns to his brother, he laughed good-naturedly. There was no way he could have mixed up the bodies, he had said.

_"I would recognize you anywhere, little brother."_

But Al was not convinced. Deep down he knew that Ed was right: that he was back. And yet, his eyes continued to betray him.

Feeling selfish and petulant, he began to draw into himself, and he only grew worse with time. Alphonse knew he should be grateful. That he had gotten his body back at all was a miracle in and of itself. Edward had sacrificed so much to get him back. It was a gift, and it shouldn't be taken for granted.

Yet somehow, he couldn't help but feel like a disbodied soul once more - trapped inside a foreign shell with no way out.

This was what he had been fighting to escape from for so long, and now he was back almost exactly where he started as though all the progress made had been for nothing.

Alphone knew that it would take time, that he wouldn't become strong again without a lot of work and determination. He knew that when he got his body back, things would be different.

What he hadn't known was how much of a toll it would take.

Edward noticed his brother starting to retreat on himself. He refused a couple meals, he threw up some of the ones he ate, he avoided his reflection like the plague and turned down a couple of physical therapy sessions.

He was downtrodden and lost. He wasn't trying to get better anymore.

He looked defeated. He had just about given up.

Edward had never seen his brother like this before: no will to keep going, no hint of hope in his voice or his eyes. It was as if he was just waiting for the gate to take him back, so why try at all.

The older boy tried his best to cheer him up. He offered reassurances, said that he was looking more and more like his old self every day. It was well meant, however they seemed to go in one ear and out the other.

Finally, with one last attempt to fix things, Edward came into his brother's room on a dreary afternoon armed with nothing but a tentative stance and a pair of scissors.

Alphonse spared a glazed glance in his brother's direction, but it was if his brain couldn't put two and two together. So he said nothing, his lifeless gaze returning to the drizzling rain pattering softly against the window.

Edward swallowed hard. If this didn't work, he didn't have a backup plan. If this didn't work, he wasn't sure anything else would.

When at last Edward lifted Al from his bed and set him on the hospital room's bathroom floor, when the first snip was made and a long strand of golden hair fell to the ground at their feet, something in the younger boy began to stir.

They sat in silence, tension and anticipation hanging heavily in the air as Edward hacked away at Alphonse's long mane.

After what seemed like an eternity, Edward put the scissors down. Gently, he reached down and plucked his brother from his seat, setting him down purposefully on his feet in front of the mirror.

At first, the young alchemist turned away with almost a knee jerk reaction. But, as curiosity got the better of him, he slowly turned back to face his reflection.

He saw…

Himself.

He was still too thin, his cheeks too hollow and his clothes too baggy on his tiny frame. But the boy that he saw in the mirror no longer looked like a stranger. An unhealthy version, yes, but he finally looked like himself.

His hair (though not nearly as neatly done as when Granny used to cut it) was short once again, styled in almost the same way it had been before all of this began. No longer was his face covered and cast in shadows, no longer were his angled features lengthened by the hair framing his face.

He could see a little piece of himself again.

And that was more than enough.

Tears of relief started to trickle down from his clear, golden eyes. He could see the light freckles on his cheeks, the tiny scar on his forehead from when he tripped on the gravel when he was three, the way his eyelashes curled on their own (something Winry had always been jealous of), and the wrinkling of his almost always chapped lips.

This was him, every piece that made him himself was exactly where it should be. He wasn't a soul in a shell anymore; he was whole and here and complete.

Blubbering sheepishly he turned and enveloped his chuckling brother into the biggest hug he could give. The older boy placed a hand on Al's newly trimmed head, running his fingers through what was left of the hair on the other boy's scalp.

"See? I told you: I'd recognize you anywhere. I hope this will help you see it too. At least until we can get a couple more pounds on you, yeah?"

Alphonse gave a huff of a laugh and nodded, rubbing the tears from his face haphazardly as he looked in the mirror once more to find his own, bright eyes staring back at him.

He smiled, and his reflection smiled too.

Man, it felt good to be back.

**AN: Yes, I posted twice in one day...inspiration struck and I couldnt help myself haha. Please enjoy!**

**Prompts are still open, and I'd love to hear what you all think so far~**

**Have**** a splendid remainder of your day and I'll post again soon :) **


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

No one was prepared for how rough it was going to be.

Literally no one.

Because literally no one had ever gone through this before.

Alphonse Elric was the first case of muscle atrophy to this level of severity Amestris had ever seen.

His condition baffled doctors left and right. Even when the situation was explained, it was a hard story for anyone to truly comprehend, and an even harder one to fully accept.

A boy trapped inside an alchemic portal where his body sat for four years, gaining just enough nutrients from his brother and their connection so that his body wouldn't decay and rot away?

Unlikely.

Nonetheless, everyone was desperate to see this marvel of nature: this miracle, so to speak. Alphonse shouldn't have lived this long by any modern medical standards. Working with him was like a dream come true for many - it was rare to work with patients who had new-found conditions. It was a mystery just waiting to be solved, a puzzle to be cracked.

Al didn't see it like that, though.

He felt odd, out of place. Sometimes he hardly felt human - more a specimen or an animal in exhibition than a boy - and his sense of humanity was something he had worked very hard to gain back.

At first it was nice to have some extra attention. Then it just grew...weird.

Surely there were other patients to attend to, right? Alphonse was hardly the only patient in the hospital, yet it seemed as though just about every doctor or nurse was stopping by, checking his vitals, running tests...

Edward would ward off the overly eager doctors when he could, sensing Al's displeasure and discomfort (it wasn't difficult, Al wasn't great at hiding his emotions anymore since he had gone years without a face for others to read). But, Al's care from the medical professionals was necessary to get him back on his feet.

So, he toughed it out.

For a while, physical therapy was one of Alphonse's few releases. Doctors wouldn't come in there unless something went wrong, so it was a nice excuse to have some privacy for a couple hours every few days.

The Elric brothers were no strangers to physical therapy. Edward had gone through round upon round of it back when his arm was still made of metal. The idea of it was hardly a new one, and both knew the importance of getting back on their feet.

Ed had fallen back into the rhythm with ease at first. Day after day, he spent his time at Al's side, and whatever time was left over was spent working hard to regain his strength.

The two had the same trainer. Lisle looked to be in his mid-to-late twenties. He was tall and well-built - his dark, umber skin, deep set eyes, and dazzling smile caused most who he interacted with to leave with a smile on their face or a flush on their cheeks. The man gave good instructions, and seemed to know what he was doing, but no one could compare to Winry and Granny's expertise.

Lisle was good, but not good enough.

Edward grew tired of Lisle almost immediately. He had nothing against the guy (besides perhaps his overly-chipper attitude), but Ed believed that he didn't need an instructor. He had been practicing this sort of therapy for nearly a third of his life now: surely that was of more value than a man who had only been in practice for a few years.

Edward started to skip his scheduled times. Instead, he focused on the exercises Winry had given him years ago. Every day he woke up and worked hard but, for some reason, it didn't seem to be going quite as well as he believed it should.

Alphonse noticed fairly quickly that his brother had stopped going to his sessions. He tried to hint at it a few times, but the older brother was either completely oblivious or deliberately feigning ignorance. So, Alphonse did the only thing that he knew would get his brother's attention: he started to skip his sessions, too.

Al didn't want to, of course. It wasn't only an escape from the doctors, but he also needed to keep at it so that he would be strong enough to go home. Plus, his muscles and joints would get sore if he stayed put for too long, so in all fairness, this was something that wasn't good on just about all accounts. But, if it would prove a point where his words might not, he was willing to try.

And, as expected, Edward noticed Al's lack of sessions.

And, also as expected, he was not happy about it.

One thing led to another, and both stubborn Elrics were caught in a heated discussion. Both too stubborn to just let the other completely have their way, they ended on a compromise: Lisle knew more exercises related to regaining muscle, whereas Ed had more specialized expertise that was focused on working to reconnect and strengthen nerve endings. Edward conceded to returning to his scheduled sessions, but only on the condition that he and Al could do them together.

Whether it was a ploy for Ed to make sure Al wasn't skipping or was truly meant as just a means to spend more time together, Al wasn't sure. Either way, it was agreed, and put into practice fairly soon after.

Of course, during these sessions, the primary focus would be on Alphonse. He had further to go than Ed, and honestly he needed a lot more help even getting started. To make up for the lesser amount of attention, Lisle would give Edward a variety or routines and exercises that could be self-led and done during the time he was working with Al.

And, for a week or so, this pattern worked rather seamlessly: Edward felt better than he had in years, and the exercises Lisle had him doing were really starting to return muscle mass to where it needed to be. Ed had to admit, his brother was right: he had the right idea but had been working the wrong muscles. Lisle said the reason Ed would get so tired so quickly was because he was trying to move his arm around like he used to, almost like waking it up from being asleep. He was trying to get the nerves back in order, but the nerves weren't what he needed to be working on. The nerves were already there this time - what he really needed to focus on was building his muscles back up from scratch. Ed had to start looking at it like he had never lifted weights before, and the process was going to take time. It wasn't going to be very difficult, but it would require a lot of resting, allowing the torn muscles to heal and become stronger before they were put to work once more.

Al had been doing well, too. First, he had worked on his legs and arms separately, sitting down and doing certain exercises to start building back the muscle. Whereas Ed had a base to work from, Alphonse could hardly keep himself upright at first. If Ed was working from scratch, then Alphonse didn't even have his ingredients gathered yet. As he started to gain more muscle, gradually building something from nothing, (an alchemical miracle, he mused) he then moved to working on standing. It was something he was only just starting to get the hang of again, something he never in a million years would've thought he had taken advantage of. It was only for a second or two at first, but eventually he had it up to a minute or two. And, once he was finally able to stand for a significant period of time, the next step would be to take a step: walk.

That was where it all started to go downhill.

The younger Elric had re-learned how to stand fairly quickly, all things considered. Walking...not so much.

One step seemed to be the average he could take before his knees buckled and sent him sprawling to the floor. Lisle was beyond kind and encouraging, always helping Al up to try again without any signs of amusement or disappointment at his expense. Throughout it all, Lisle was the cheerleader everyone deserves to have on their team. But still, it was embarrassing. Not nearly as embarrassing as needing someone else to help him go to the bathroom had been, but embarrassing nonetheless.

Every time he tried, Al only became more frustrated.

He had been able to walk with only a little bit of support during the aftermath of the Promised Day. True, that had primarily been because of the surplus of adrenaline pumping through his veins, but he knew it was still possible.

His legs weren't useless, and his body wasn't completely shut down. So, _why couldn't he do it again?_

After a particularly hard fall and a string of cuss words from the younger Elric that would make their mother turn in her grave, Ed turned from his book (he had finished his stretches a little while ago) to take in the scene before him.

Al sat haphazardly on the floor, his legs tucked underneath him awkwardly where they had buckled as his arms shook slightly, struggling to keep his torso propped up.

"That was so close, Alphonse. You took three steps this time! You're doing great."

The boy let out a heated huff, shakily pushing himself to his feet before almost immediately toppling over again.

This happened a couple of times in a row before Lisle finally stepped in.

"Hey, woah there. Why don't you take a break? I think you're getting a little overworked-"

"I'm fine," Al snapped back, pushing himself half-way up before his arms crumpled underneath him and sent him sprawling once more.

Lisle flashed a concerned glance towards the older teen, but Ed had already moved from his spot and closed the distance between them. He crouched and put a hand on Al's shoulder to stop him from trying again. Ed barely used any pressure, but it was more than enough to keep his brother grounded.

"Just...stop, Al. You're tired," Edward hushed, moving his hand from Al's shoulder to rest lightly on his head, raking the boy's recently cut hair away from his eyes.

"But I still have another hour," Alphonse muttered softly. "I can keep going."

"You don't want to overexert yourself, Alphonse." Lisle stepped forward, squatting so he, too, was at eye-level. He looked at Al with a soft smile. "Overdoing it won't help anything. It's a slow process, so you have to be patient. It's hard to wait now, but it'll be worth it in the long run, I promise."

Al's gaze slipped to the floor, all remaining energy seeming to leak out of his body and soak into the soft mats beneath him.

The two older men made eye contact and agreed without words that it was best to wrap up for the day.

Ed got up first, walking behind the other two to get the wheelchair parked next to the wall and bringing it over.

Lisle stood straight, dusting off his pants before offering a hand. "Let's get you back in your chair, huh?"

Al eyed the hand warily before giving a forced smile (only Ed could tell just how strained it was) and letting out a small: "I think I can manage, thanks."

True to his word, Alphonse lifted himself into his wheelchair, collapsing onto the canvas seat with a quiet grunt of pain. Lisle only had time for a quick "See you on Thursday" before Al had wheeled himself out the door.

The older teen spared Lisle an apologetic glance before he jogged after his brother, leaving the disheveled physical trainer behind.

"Right," he clapped his hands together, taking in the now-empty room around him. "I think that went well."

~oOo~

Silence crept over the brothers as they made their way back to their room. Al had been wheeling himself for the past few minutes, but he was slowing down. It was easy to see that he was tired, his arms shaking with the effort of propelling himself forward. Edward decided to step in and take over, though Alphonse was hardly willing to give up his control so easily.

"I can do it myself, Brother."

"Al, you're tired. The room is still kinda far, just let me-"

"I said I'm fine!" Al's chair skidded to a halt suddenly, its occupant turning and giving an icy glare. "I'm no baby, Ed. I can manage myself, and when I say I'm fine, I mean that I'm fine. So just back off and leave it, alright?"

Edward couldn't say he was surprised by Al's reaction. Alphonse's temper was something that rarely made itself known, but with all the frustrations and setbacks that Al had gone through recently, it was only fair that he be allowed to snap a little. Besides, God knows how many times Ed had snapped at his younger brother over the years, Al fighting back was only karma coming to bite him in the ass.

Al's face immediately twisted up, his gaze losing its bite. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean-"

"It's okay Al, really. I get it."

"No, it's not okay," the boy continued, his eyes shifting to his lap and his hands and then the floor. "I know you mean well, and I am tired. I just...I can't do anything myself anymore."

Ed smiled softly, moving so that he was in front of the younger teen before crouching down. "That's not true, Al. You can breathe, can't you?"

"Well, yeah…"

"You can feel?"

"Yes."

"You can drink, and cry, and go to the bathroom, and eat, and-"

"Okay, okay, I get it," Al held back a smile, pushing his brother away from him playfully.

"Do you, though?" Edward's voice grew low, gentle, as he took his brother's hands - his warm, soft hands - and held them tight. "You couldn't do any of those things before, Al. Not one of them. And honestly, no one really knew if you would ever be able to again. The fact that you can do any of those, let alone all of them…? That's a miracle, Al. You're a miracle."

The younger boy shook his head. "But I don't want to be a miracle, Ed. That's the thing: I just want to be me again." His eyes blinked back tears, his nose sniffled softly. "I just want to be normal, and I can't even do something as simple as _walk_…"

"Al, look at me."

He complied, hazel eyes meeting gold as the two locked their gazes together.

"I know what you're going through," Ed started, gripping Al's hands even tighter. "I've been there, I've done that. I couldn't walk for so long, I couldn't move, I felt like I couldn't do anything. Hell - I couldn't even hold a pencil. I know how helpless that feels. I know how helpless you feel. But that doesn't mean you give up. You take breaks, you let your body rest for how long it needs to, and then you try again. You keep moving forward. You've got legs, Al," he smiled, moving a hand to the younger boy's knee and pinching it lightly, causing Al to let out a short laugh, "You may not be able to get up and use them much just yet, but you will soon."

"I know," Al stated weakly, his smile faltering for a moment. "It just feels like I'm never going to get it."

Ed scoffed. "Al, are you kidding me? You weren't standing at all a couple weeks ago, and now here you are, capable of taking a couple of steps. That's incredible, Al. _You're_ incredible. And honestly, you'll be back up and at it again before you know it. The reason you keep falling over today is because you're not giving yourself the rest you need. Once you take a little break, you'll be so much stronger, and I'll bet you you'll be taking upwards of five steps next time."

Alphonse smirked slyly. "What will you bet me? Would you bet a drink of milk on it?"

The older teen swallowed, holding up his hands defensively. "H-hold on, Al. I never said-"

"Bet it, brother! I need incentive!"

"No you don't, your incentive is being able to walk. Besides, milk is disgusting. There's no way in hell I'm betting-"

"So you don't think I can do it, then?"

"What? No, that's not...ugh. Fine. If you take five or more steps next time, I will...I will have a sip of milk."

The younger boy squinted. "A gulp. A gulp of milk."

"Fine!" Edward threw his hands in the air, rolling his eyes dramatically. "Fine! If you take five or more steps, I will take one gulp of milk. Happy?"

"Quite," Al declared, rolling smugly past his older brother and meandering down the hallway. "I'll make you drink that milk," his voice echoed triumphantly off the barren walls of the hospital, causing Ed to break out into the biggest smile, "I'll do it, just you wait."

**AN: Hi folks! Sorry it's been a while - I've had kind of a crazy summer. But! I don't have much more to do before I head back to university, so hopefully I can get a couple more chapters in before things start to get hectic again. I have the next chapter written up already, so I'm hoping to just edit it a bit and hopefully post it tomorrow. Thank you so much for your patience, and again, I'd love to hear your thoughts and prompts if you have any! **


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Nearly a year had passed since the Promised Day. No stranger to hard work and dedication, Alphonse and Edward continued to commit themselves deeply and fully to physical therapy. Ed managed to heal from the majority of his wounds in about a month, and was only in physical therapy for his arm for a few months after that. He was given many daily exercises by Lisle to continue, but his in-person sessions were no longer required.

Al, however, was another story entirely.

No one had seen a case like his - no one had ever gone through such malnutrition, such atrophy of their muscles, without terrible consequences.

But Al? He had managed to work his way through physical therapy in only a year, only slight gauntness of his features and a cane remaining of what had once been a nightmare.

To think, after all this time, they were finally going home.

"You alright?"

Al turned, eyes catching his older brother's concerned look - a look he sported too often, these days.

Though tired, he was feeling better than he had in a long time.

Alphonse smiled full-heartedly. "I'm great."

The older boy smirked in return, ruffling Al's hair fondly. "Good to hear - we've got a long ride ahead of us." He paused, looking at his pocket watch impatiently (the military let him keep it for 'sentimental value,' but everyone knew it was so that should the need ever arise, Ed could pull rank once again). Both of the brothers had been looking forward to going home, but Al had physical therapy to focus on until recently, whereas Ed had been more or less free from said obligation for months. To say he was impatient was an understatement. "Stay here, okay? I'm gonna go double-check when the next train's coming in."

And just like that he was gone, lost in the sea of the crowd.

The younger boy shook his head, laughing quietly to himself. Though Al was excited too, Ed had more than just going home to be excited about - after all, a certain automail mechanic would be waiting for them when they—

Something collided hard with Al's back, the momentum knocking him off balance and sending both him and his collider - as well as a mixed variety of fruits - sprawling across the floor.

"Oh, I'm sorry—"

"No, no, the fault is mine—"

"No really, I shouldn't have been standing in the way—"

"It was entirely my doing, I wasn't watching where I was going—"

"Here, let me help you with that—"

"Thank you, sir, I'm so sorry—"

"It's no trouble, really."

"Are you alright?" Their eyes met and the woman's went wide, the apple in her hand falling to the floor once again. "O-oh my...I know you!"

This caught Al by surprise for the very apparent reason that no one in central should really know what he looked like without his suit of armor.

"I-I'm sorry?"

The woman laughed suddenly, a sweet sound. "Oh, I'm so sorry! I'm sure you're quite confused. Elric, right? My name is Cassandra, I work as a secretary for the military base here in Central."

He did remember her, now that she said it - she was usually stationed at the front desk. She was a pretty woman: average height and a little on the stout side, probably in her early twenties, dark hair, always smiling and friendly.

And, if he recalled correctly, he had seen her in passing once or twice in the hospital. She, too, must have been caught in the events of the Promised Day.

He beamed. "Yeah, I remember you! It's nice to see you again."

"You too! You look nice with your new haircut."

Al blushed, embarrassed and flattered all at once, his hand brushing through his hair subconsciously. Had she really seen him with his long hair? He'd only had it for a little while before he'd gotten annoyed and had his brother help him chop it all off - how Ed managed with his own long hair, he would never understand. "T-thanks."

"Thank you for helping," Cassandra motioned to her bag of semi-bruised fruit. Her eyes caught on Al's crutch and immediately she took action. "Here, let's get you back up shall we?"

Together, they managed to put Al back on his feet. He wobbled slightly, but otherwise remained fairly stable. He smiled sweetly.

"Thank you, Miss Cassandra."

"Of course! It's the least I could do." She paused, shifting her bag to her other hand and brushing a piece of dark hair behind her ear. "I uh, I heard about everything you and your brother did for us...for all of Central, maybe even the whole world. Both you and your brother sacrificed a lot," she glanced at his cane. "I don't think any of us can ever make it up to you fully."

Al laughed, stuttering, nearly at a loss for words. "N-no no! It was worth it, all of it! I'm just so glad that we could help—"

"Al!" Alphonse turned, catching sight of a familiar hand waving through the crowd. "Alphonse! The next train's gonna be here any second, get your ass over here!"

"Coming!" Al called back, turning back to Cassandra. "Sorry, I've got to be—"

"Wait, what? Alpho—?" She froze, her hand coming up to her mouth in what appeared to be mild horror. "Oh my goodness, I-I'm so sorry, I must have—y-you look so different without your armor, so similar to—"

"Al?" Ed was there, a hand reaching around his back and gripping onto his shoulder. When did he get there? "You okay?"

"Uh," Al blinked, suddenly very hot, very overwhelmed by the amount of people and noise, and very, very tired, "I think—?"

A train whistle blew, causing Al to flinch. Ed's grip tightened in sympathy, starting to usher him towards the train.

"I'm sorry, Miss, but we have to be going now," the older boy offered, obviously completely unaware of the woman's identity as he pulled his brother away gently, the sound of a train grinding to a screeching halt on its tracks nearly drowning out the woman's farewell.

"It was a pleasure seeing you, Alphonse!"

"You too," he managed before he was led away, Ed's hand gripped protectively around his back as he ushered him along.

It wasn't until later, when the two of them were seated and the train had started off, that Alphonse realized that he had been mistaken for his brother once again. This time though, it caused a surge of warmth to flutter through him: it wasn't because he was Full Metal: _it was because they looked alike._

AN: Thanks for your patience! Sorry this chapter was a bit on the shorter side, but I felt like it was a good ending point! I just wanted to say that I make mention to other chapters of mine in this series, but I hope that I've written them all vaguely enough so that they can be read as one-shots as well. I've been trying to put them in chronological order, but as I create more I might go back and add some chapters between some of the old ones. If I do, I'll let you know where in my timeline they are!

Thank you again for reading, and I hope to have the next installment up soon. Please let me know what you might like to see in the coming chapters!

To Kaoruca: I read your request for some Winry content! I'm hoping to incorporate her into the next few chapters - these will be more family-oriented, so the brothers will mostly be at home with Winry and Granny. Thanks for reviewing!


End file.
